Kizzie is a mother, sister, daughter and defender of human rights, better known as Dr. Kizzie Shako, Kenya’s first female Police Surgeon, a title otherwise known as a forensic physician. She is a Senior Medical officer in the Ministry of Health, Forensic and Pathology Services, seconded to the National Police Service as a Police Surgeon, based at the Police Surgery. During her free time, she has worked with various civil society organizations where she has been instrumental in capacity building of police officers, prosecutors,
and medical personnel on forensic medical principles.
Dr Kizzie Shako attends to over 50 cases of sexual violence and Intimate partner violence weekly. Her concern for the society birthed Vunjakimya (Break the silence), established in 2015. It was initially a social media platform that addresses the forensic and medico legal gaps affecting the society, urging victims and observers of abuse to come forward and seek help, so as to bring an end to the stigma and negative squeal associated with sexual and gender based violence. In essence, Vunjakimya is a voice for the voiceless.
Dr. Kizzie has also founded the Dr. Kizzie Shako Network (soon to be Vunjakimya Rapid Response network), which functions as a real time hotline responding to pleas for assistance by connecting the alleged victims with the relevant professionals as well as offering victims various solutions where possible, with the aim of finding refuge, rehabilitation and recovery. Over 50 individuals have received assistance directly from the network.
Funding, is by far her largest stumbling block to advancing the Vunjakimya cause. However, she maintains her resolve in achieving her greatest dream which is to establish a One Stop Multisectoral center where survivors can be attended to by relevant trained professionals in one location so as to limit poor documentation, victim fatigue from moving from one office to another to secure the relevant documents required by the courts, and corruption across these different offices and institutions.